A licensed process server changes home address. How soon must written notice reach the department?6 RCNY § 1-08, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A person injured by improper service sues the process server under § 20-409.2. When may punitive damages be awarded?NYC Administrative Code § 20-409.2, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A renewal application is filed 70 days after the license expired. How is it treated?6 RCNY § 1-09(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
After a hearing, what penalty does § 20-409.1 set for each violation of the process server subchapter?NYC Administrative Code § 20-409.1, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
An applicant fails the process server examination on the first attempt. What does the rule allow?6 RCNY § 2-232d, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
An individual applicant proves that no surety will write the bond. What may the applicant do in its place?NYC Administrative Code § 20-406.1(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Show all 72 questions (66 more)
City license law, continued
For how long must a licensee keep the records of each process served, under the Administrative Code?NYC Administrative Code § 20-406.3(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How many services of process in any one year count as doing business as a process server in New York City?NYC Administrative Code § 20-404(c), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What does the biennial process server license fee come to under § 20-407?NYC Administrative Code § 20-407, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What may a licensee not wear or display while serving process?6 RCNY § 2-237, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What must a licensed process server carry and operate when process is served or attempted?NYC Administrative Code § 20-410, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What surety bond does a process serving agency furnish?NYC Administrative Code § 20-406.1(c), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What surety bond must an individual applicant for a process server license furnish?NYC Administrative Code § 20-406.1(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Which licensed process server need not furnish a surety bond at all?NYC Administrative Code § 20-406.1(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Which of these people needs no process server license to serve papers in the city?NYC Administrative Code § 20-405, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Records, GPS and affidavits 23
A process server is told by phone that a court has scheduled a hearing on whether service was effective. What follows?6 RCNY § 2-236(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A process server keeps records in a bound paginated volume. By when must each page be scanned into an image file?6 RCNY § 2-233(a)(1)(i)(B), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A process server signs with a different GPS contractor. By when must an amended certification reach the department?6 RCNY § 2-233b(c)(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A process server stops serving exclusively as an employee of an agency. By when must the server notify the department?6 RCNY § 2-234b(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A process server's surety bond lapses in the middle of the license term. What becomes of the license?6 RCNY § 2-232a(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A server delivers papers for a company to a person described in the affidavit as its "managing agent". What must the affidavit also state?6 RCNY § 2-235(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A typographical error sits in an electronic record already submitted to the third party contractor. How is it amended?6 RCNY § 2-233(d)(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
An electronic record is made more than how long after the service for the rules to presume the server did not comply?6 RCNY § 2-233b(a)(2)(i), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
An entry in a bound paginated volume is wrong. How may it be corrected?6 RCNY § 2-233(d)(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
The department subpoenas records in an audit. Within how many days of the date the subpoena was issued must the process server comply?6 RCNY § 2-240(c), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How do the city rules define "substituted service"?6 RCNY § 2-231, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How is a license number shorter than seven digits written in a record of service?6 RCNY § 2-233(a)(2)(ii), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How must the time of service be entered in the record?6 RCNY § 2-233(a)(2)(ix), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
In the "type of service delivery" field of a record, what does the entry CO stand for?6 RCNY § 2-233(a)(2)(xv), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
No GPS signal is available at the door. How is the location, time and date fixed?6 RCNY § 2-233b(a)(2)(i), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Papers are affixed to an apartment door under CPLR § 308(4). What must the record of service describe?6 RCNY § 2-233(a)(2)(xvi), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Unable to learn the result of a traverse hearing, a licensee must tell the department so no later than when?6 RCNY § 2-236(c)(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Under the city rules, which legal paper is not "process"?6 RCNY § 2-231, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What is the most the Process Server Trust Fund may pay for all awards, fines or judgments from a single service of process?6 RCNY § 2-232c(c)(3), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What must appear on the envelope of every copy of process mailed under CPLR § 308(4) or RPAPL § 735(1)?6 RCNY § 2-238, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
When may a licensee sign an affirmation of service or have an affidavit of service notarized?6 RCNY § 2-235(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
When must the mobile device make its electronic record of an attempted service?6 RCNY § 2-233b(a)(2)(i), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Where do the city's process server rules apply?6 RCNY § 2-232(d), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
General Business Law 7
A person maliciously has civil process served on a Saturday on someone who keeps Saturday as holy time. What is the offense?General Business Law § 13, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Service is made by affixing the summons to a door under CPLR § 308(4). What does § 89-cc add to the record?General Business Law § 89-cc(2)(l), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What is the effect of serving civil process on a Sunday where no statute specially allows it?General Business Law § 11, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What must a third party contractor that holds process server records maintain under § 89-cc?General Business Law § 89-cc(1)(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
When is a process serving agency legally responsible for the acts of a process server it gave papers to?General Business Law § 89-ee(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Which of these must a process serving agency's records show for each process server, under § 89-dd?General Business Law § 89-dd(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Which of these people is not a "process server" under General Business Law § 89-bb, even when paid?General Business Law § 89-bb(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
CPLR service rules 17
A business holds out an address as its place of business through regular advertisement. How does § 308(6) treat that address?CPLR § 308(6), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A limited liability company is managed by its members. Who may be personally served for it under § 311-a?CPLR § 311-a(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A summons is handed to the defendant in person. What must the proof of service add about that person?CPLR § 306(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A summons is left with a person of suitable age and discretion at the defendant's home. What else does CPLR § 308(2) require?CPLR § 308(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A summons mailed to the defendant's actual place of business under § 308(2) goes in an envelope bearing which legend?CPLR § 308(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A summons names a 15-year-old as a defendant. Who must be personally served?CPLR § 309(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
After substituted service under § 308(2) and the filing of proof, when is service complete?CPLR § 308(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How is personal service made upon the State of New York?CPLR § 307(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
In what form is proof of service made by a person who is not a sheriff or other authorized public officer?CPLR § 306(d), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
The person to be served signs a writing that admits service. What is that writing worth?CPLR § 306(e), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
The statute of limitations on a proceeding is four months or less. By when must service be made?CPLR § 306-b, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Three people run a business as a partnership. How may personal service upon them be made under § 310(a)?CPLR § 310(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
To whom is a summons against the City of New York delivered?CPLR § 311(a)(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
What may be used in a New York action in place of an affidavit under Rule 2106?CPLR Rule 2106, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
When may a summons be affixed to the door of a dwelling and mailed, under § 308(4)?CPLR § 308(4), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Which of these people may be handed a summons for a corporation under § 311(a)(1)?CPLR § 311(a)(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Within how many days after an action is commenced must the summons and complaint generally be served?CPLR § 306-b, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Housing, divorce and corporate service 10
A Civil Court summons is served without the index number on it. How is the failure cured?New York City Civil Court Act § 400(3), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A divorce summons is served without the complaint. What must be written or printed on its face?Domestic Relations Law § 232(a), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A licensed process server will testify at a traverse hearing in Civil Court. What must the server bring?22 NYCRR § 208.29, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
A notice of petition and petition are personally delivered to the respondent. Counting from that delivery, by when is proof of service filed?RPAPL § 735(2), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
An eviction petition is left with a person of suitable age and discretion at the property. How must it also be mailed?RPAPL § 735(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How soon after conspicuous-place service of a notice of petition must the mailing be made under RPAPL § 735?RPAPL § 735(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
In a matrimonial action, what must the affidavit of service say about the person who received the summons?Domestic Relations Law § 232(b), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Process against a corporation is delivered in person to the Secretary of State as its agent. Where and in how many copies?Business Corporation Law § 306, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
When no one will open the door, where may a copy of the notice of petition and petition be left?RPAPL § 735(1), as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
Where must a summons of the New York City Civil Court be served, unless a law allows service beyond?New York City Civil Court Act § 403, as printed in DCWP's Educational Materials for Process Servers
How this list was compiled: Educational Materials for Process Servers, published by the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, updated 3/3/2025 (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dca/downloads/pdf/businesses/Process-Server-Educational-Materials.pdf), read on October 12, 2026. The packet prints the laws the examination covers: New York City Administrative Code Title 20, Chapter 2, Subchapter 23 and Chapter 1; Rules of the City of New York, Title 6, Chapter 2, Subchapter W and Chapter 1; General Business Law sections 11, 13 and 89-bb to 89-ff; CPLR sections 303 to 312 and Rule 2106; New York City Civil Court Act sections 400, 403 and 404; 22 NYCRR 208.29; Domestic Relations Law section 232; RPAPL section 735; Business Corporation Law section 306. Exam format facts come from the department's Process Server Individual license checklist (https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca/businesses/license-checklist-process-server-individual.page) and its Frequently Asked Questions: Exams, dated 11/21/2025. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the text of the laws and rules as the department's packet prints them. Nothing comes from the Process Server Individual Exam, the department's sample question, a testing service, a prep course or a question pool.
How it works
This unofficial New York process server practice test asks 72 of our own questions on the laws New York City's Process Server Individual Exam covers. Not affiliated with the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which licenses process servers.
Read the full guide
What the exam covers
City and state laws and rules on serving process in New York City: the Administrative Code and Rules on licensed process servers, the General Business Law sections on process server records, the CPLR sections on personal service, and the housing, divorce and corporate service sections.
Attempts and timing
An applicant has 60 days from the day the application appears in the exam scheduling system, and two attempts. A second failure means applying for the license again. The department's pages name no time limit for the exam itself.
What is not here
The department's own sample question, and anything from the New York City Marshals Handbook of Regulations, which the department names as a further resource.
Keep the record of every service and attempt for seven years (6 RCNY § 2-233(e)).
Make the GPS record right after each attempt, never before: one made over five minutes later is presumed non-compliant (6 RCNY § 2-233b).
Service on a suitable person, or by affixing to the door, is complete ten days after proof of service is filed (CPLR § 308).
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the NYC process server exam?
Thirty-five multiple choice questions, and no fewer than 25 must be answered correctly to pass, by the department's Frequently Asked Questions: Exams, dated November 21, 2025. Exam mode here asks 35 and passes at 25.
Do you need a license to be a process server in New York?
In New York City, yes, once you serve process five or more times in a calendar year. Attorneys admitted in New York State and government employees acting within their jobs are exempt. This page covers the city license only.
Is there a study guide for the New York process server exam?
The department publishes Educational Materials for Process Servers, free on nyc.gov, updated March 3, 2025. It says the packet is not solely a study guide for the exam. Every question here was written from the laws that packet prints.
How do you become a process server in New York City?
Apply to the department for a Process Server Individual license, be fingerprinted, pass the exam, and furnish a $10,000 surety bond unless you serve only as an employee of a licensed agency (Administrative Code § 20-406 and § 20-406.1).